The adventures of the Dawnstriders
by Saphiere
Summary: Fear controlled them. Now finally free each Dawnstrider sister have contrasting ways of survival, some ruled the underwold (black market) while others negotiated peace, some found love that they will take to the grave while some sent people to their grave. What happens when they all have a common enemy, can they coordinate the murder of the man who oppressed them for years?
1. summary

The Dawnstriders: a brief summary

Nepharos is a well-known general from a noble family with a noble name, he strives for the perfect killers, the perfect team. He schemed a plan to father a child, specifically a female child with a woman particularly well known for her class to produce the most efficient offspring as possible. The women would mysteriously die in childbirth, all sisters have a different mother. Nepharos was distant from the children during their upbringing instead assigning them tasks in the morning so he could asses if they were strong by his standards and displayed the desired personality traits for a certain class. He hired the best trainers, brought them the best gear and tested them to the furthest limit. He planned to have one child to every known class to blood elves, including death knight. Yes Nepharos was high ranking in the army throughout the battle against the scourge, so he had word that the war was coming to a close. He chose a daughter who displayed the talents to make the best death knight ever made and sent her to fight a losing battle having her coincidently captured and turned. The eldest daughter came across his plans when she chased her cat companion into his usually locked study and was horrified, not hesitating to tell her sisters. Nepharos is now on the run fearing for his life once the soldiers he himself bred and raised had turned against him, vowing to kill him if they ever saw his face again. Even though they pledge to kill him, the sisters are not particularly hunting him down as they are conflicted as he is their father. All have decided to travel the world, finally having the freedom and wealth (they inherited everything he had) to do so.

The sisters (age order):

Aryha: death knight

Kahtia: monk (even though this trade was brought over with the discovery of Pandaria Nepharos had known a woman skilled in the foreign trade later to be known as skills particular to monks)

Syhrell: warlock

Kahal: hunter

Tyela: warrior

Janco: rogue

Lyrah: paladin  
Athaya: priest  
Messi: mage

Present time whereabouts/ basic appearances:

Aryha: mad at her father and the world after what she went through under the lich's command. She finds herself brawling and fighting in arenas to release anger.(tan, cyan eyes, white hair)

Kahtia: opened an inn in the jade forest called the three blossoms with her husband Kerran. (pink toned skin, light green eyes, orange hair)

Syhrell: brought a caravan and travels the lands, a gypsy lifestyle. (fair skin, dark green eyes, black hair, painted lips)

Kahal: fell inlove with a ranger named Cian, he was murdered so she started a guild of bounty hunters known as the hawks, based in Stranglethorn. (tan, tropical green eyes, caramel hair)

Tyela: joined Silvermoon's infantry, ranked General and has her own squad called the shadow cats.(tan, plain eyes, caramel hair)

Janco: joined the Brotherhood (a band of thieves), became a notorious assassin and worked the blackmarket, resides usually in the underbelly. (tan, dark green eyes, short mahogany hair)

Lyrah: became the ambassador of the Horde, resides in Stormwind ( fair skin, pale green eyes, short light blonde hair)

Athaya: became a well known healer with herbs and magic, opened an apothecary shop in Silvermoon. (fair skin, bright eyes, long light blonde hair)

Mesi: since she took after her father in the ways of the mage, he is familiar with her mind and he likes to warp it. She is very powerful but has to be contained in Dalaran until she can control it (often releases powerful arcane blasts). Janco often visits. (tan, weary/tired eyes, white hair).


	2. Reunite

_Punch me_ Aryha thought _god these people are weak as piss, _she swung her fist connecting with her opponents jaw sending him stumbling back, "I must say I've never met an orc with manners, that is why you won't hit me right? Because I'm a girl?" She twirled at the word girl in hopes to provoke him into beating her up. "Lady….hit. Hard…getting…mad" the orc drawled _this one's had a little too much hits to the head _ " go on you beast, get mad, get real mad" she danced around the orc earning cheers from the "betters" watching the fight above the arena, she must admit the sewers of Dalaran was her least favorite place to fight. The orc charged at her and connected his elbow with her nose causing her to lose footing as her head snapped back and her smell changed to the metallic scent of blood _no more sewer smell…. _She laughed and rolled her head forward smiling and wiping the blood away with her wrist "oh look" she cooed " the pile of meat **does** know how to fight" she laughed and surged forward making quick jabs ending in the orc on the floor stomach down with her sitting on his back with his head in a tight headlock, she looked to the arena lords to see if they wanted her to end it or entertain them some more, they all gave the hand signal and with a sharp twist of her hands and a loud crack she felt the orc go limp. She stood and her ears were overwhelmed with those cheering for the win, and those booing because they had lost money betting against her, she didn't care. She looked down at the green heap and sighed muttering a passing on chant, she used to feel bad until she herself had come close to dying. Now she understood that the death arena was no game, and everyone she fought she made sure entered on their own free will. The mages working for the battle lords teleported her out of the cage and as she was making her way towards the tunnels a situation occurred, there was screaming and flashes of light as professional looking mages teleported into the area, _hellfire…it's a raid_. She began to run amongst the screaming people hastily trying to evade capture of the law enforcers. She tripped over and to avoid being trampled rolled under a table. She spied a pair of boots walking directly towards her table, defeated she awaited and when a hand came under and yanked Aryha out from under the table she was expecting the worst. " why dear sister, how nice of you to visit" …_Janco.. _she mused _haven't seen her in years. _" listen Janco, nows not the time I've got to run", she turned to leave but Janco's hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her with her as she laughed. " wow, see here I thought I wasn't the only one who kept tabs on my sisters but you obviously don't…. ever heard the name fleetfoot?-"  
" you mean that assassin people are debating whether is myth or fact?" Aryha put on a dramatic voice "the face or should I say faceless of the underworld, ruler of the underbelly and my personal favorite queen of the black market" she laughed and Janco joined in  
" oh she's real, friend of mine actually. I know this place like the back of my hand, look-y we're here" she gestured to the cobweb ridden tunnel with a light at the end of it. " take my hand and step where I step, I know the best ways to remain unseen think of me shrouding you in concealment" her sister winked and then surged forward at a sprint dragging Aryha with her.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, Aryha would have gone over the edge and plummeted into Crystalsong if Janco hadn't yanked her back by her collar. "I hope you can climb, sister" Janco smiled as she handed over two daggers she had concealed gods know where and producing two more for herself. " fall and you die we are going to climb the underside of Dalaran to the top" she ripped some linen from her undershirt and wrapped it over the palms of her hands. Aryha looked around curiously " what is this place?"  
Janco smirked " think of it as a way to deal with….rats" Aryha was confused, rats? Janco laughed "if someone rats on someone in the underworld particularly if they are a.." she struggled to explain " think of political figures, powerful people, then we put them in this tunnel count to thirty and release alligators and all sorts of nasty's . The person can either fight his or her way out bear handed and walk free, they can be eaten or…." She smiled a wicked glint in her eye" they can jump" she looked her sister in the eye " oh don't look so pale, we also use it as an escape tunnel usually we have beasts flying around and we can whistle for them but that would draw to much attention in this scenario…so, we climb" Aryha swallowed and looked down, _of course _ she thought _ of course we climb, and of course it's going to be life threatening and a struggle _ she sighed " and just how do we climb" and was not sure if she was disturbed or relieved at Janco's confident grin " why dear sister, I thought you'd never ask. Follow me" she stuck her arms out winked and fell back, Aryha lay down and looked over the edge to see her sister had dug her daggers into the rock and was climbing to the side. " coming?" she called up. So Aryha took a deep breath, and let herself fall.


	3. Messi

Aryha and Janco collapsed on a grass area in Dalaran, arms quivering from the strain. "That almost was the hardest thing I've had to do" Aryha sighed. Janco rolled onto her side an eyebrow quirked

" almost?"

" the first dealing with the memories of torture until my mind broke, my soul corrupted, torturing innocents, the thousands slaughtered under my command and the knowledge my own father bestowed it all upon me"  
"okay, no"

"no?"

"yeah I agree that was pretty bad, and yes you suffered but we all suffered and some of us are still suffering first hand from our father to this day"

"one, no one suffered more than me and two, impossible he's gone far away"

Janco rolled her eyes "one, I'll tell you the story another time and two remember Messi"

Aryha smiled, Messi was the sweetest to her when she returned from Northrend " of course I remember Messi"

"and do you remember what she is?"

"…a mage..why?"

"And what was father?"

"a mage…no" Aryha suddenly paled, not her littlest sister

"yes, he linked his mind to hers. Tortures her every day, her magic is unstable so they lock her away in one of the high security rooms here in D alaran, I visit her sometimes"

"Can I… can I see her?"

Janco looked at Aryha long and hard before nodding "this way" and as if their previous strain never happened the girls rose in a daze and made their way to the violet citadel. "so how do we break in? Scale the wall, distractions, any secret tunnels here?" Aryha asked overwhelmed, Janco found it in her to chuckle" I was thinking just walking in and asking to see her" and by the look on Aryha's face she could tell her sister didn't believe her so she sighed " Messi is to unstable, we need the mages to prepare her for contact, she'd kill us if she had an…episode"

"episode?"

" because Messi is so powerful and was trained so well in her trade, she has all this potential energy ready to be channeled into magic, but father somehow stops her from doing that. Hence the magic forces its way out her, uncontrollable, painful and in powerful arcane burst….her screams" Janco shuddered.

They made their ways up a flight of stairs and were greeted by a friendly human "Janco dear, you haven't been here in awhile, she's been asking for you, who's this?" Janco smiled and allowed herself to be embraced by the old human " I was away in Stranglethorn for awhile, looking for a….relative and this is a sister of Messi's and mine, Aryha"

"Aryha…Dawnstrider?" The human's shoulders sagged "once a general of the scourge?" Aryha shifted footing, clearly uncomfortable " that is I…how do you know my name?"

" my son, he too was a knight of the ebon blade, Senry, he talked about you a lot. Stories of how you and him regained humanity, you were good friends right?"

Aryha breathed " Senry, yes I know him. I looked for him once we were released but he took off…is he here?...in Dalaran?"

"no, no. He was dying so he took himself to Stormwind to die and be buried" she shuddered " it's in three days actually, He would want you to come but" she gestured to Aryha's elven ears " you would most likely be killed on sight" she embraced the elf " he was… _very _fond of you, you know that?"

Aryha struggled with her emotions " yes…yes, I know" Janco coughed uncomfortably and the human and blood elf straightened " to Messi then? Oh and dear" she looked to Aryha "I'm Nora" Aryha nodded in acknowledgement.

Ten minutes later the sisters found themselves teleported into a doorless room with a heap chained to the floor, the room had nice big windows and lavish decorations but a prison none the less.

Aryha went to move forward to her sister but Janco placed an arm on her forarm and her eyes told her to wait "…Messi" she whispered and the heap moved

" sister" Aryha's heart broke, her voice…so frail…so broken..this was not the bubbly happy Messi who once tried to save a fish from 'drowning'.

Messi's head tilted up and her cracked lips broke into a smile "sis-ters…Ary? Is that you?"

Aryha couldn't stand it anymore she rushed forward and embraced her sister, she didn't care how angry she was, at the death of Senry, her past, everything. She'd **never **be angry at Messi.

Her tears moistened the shoulder of her sisters robe. " I'm so sorry he did this to you, I'm so , so sorry"

Messi made hushing noises " does this mean you'll help Janco and I?"

Aryha pulled back " help, with what?"

Janco cleared her throat " to hunt down father, kill him, freeing Messi. I tried to hunt him, that was no problem but" she looked down in embarrassment " he's a little tricky to kill"

Aryha cocked her head " but **no-one **is 'tricky' for us to kill"

"Show her" Messi whispered so Janco turned around and lifted her shirt to reveal three long, thick angry scars down her back, Aryha gasped and Messi winced.

"he made me believe I had fire under my skin, controlled me to tear the skin on my back open with my hands, I barely escaped alive" Janco whispered her eyes vacant " so I searched for you all, but alas you all did not want to be found"

"I'll help" Aryha grabbed one of Messi's hands " but first, let's find our sisters"

Janco smiled " I have some leads".


	4. Kahtia

"Listen" Kerran sighed "either you pay what you owe or she'll **make **you pay hmm" he gestured to his love Kahtia. " A real man fights his own battles" the offending orc grunted.

" no a **real** man can respect when someone is better at something, ergo she fights and I cook, specifically that meal you just ate without paying for" he raised an eyebrow " listen, my wife" he couldn't help but look at Kahtia lovingly at the word _wife_ " she will beat you, and if you somehow beat her, doubtful but yet a possibility, I'm sure every friend of the three blossoms will hurt you so I will ask you again **_sir_** would you like to pay the three gold you owe from food consumption and room hire?" The orc slammed a fist on the table _not the mahogany! _ "no" he smiled a toothy grin and he heard Kahtia surge forward grabbing the orc by the arm and yanking him outside "alright mister lets go". The orc was clearly stunned by the small blood elve's strength but tried to play it off "since you so..puny" he sneered" I will not use battle axe"

"how thoughtful" Kahtia narrowed her eyes Kerran would not like to be standing in the orcs shoes, she took the three blossoms very seriously. The orc ran forward first but as suspected Kahtia moved quickly and efficiently knocking the orc unconscious, " Kerran, love bring me the rope" Kerran smiled as he caught drift of her plan, "oh and can you please ask Lydia the mage if she can summon some paint and make them permanent?" Kerran laughed as he walked back inside to carry out what was asked, Kahtia has always won points for creativeness.

The orc woke tied to a post, his hands bound and only in his loincloth. His sight cleared and he saw the red headed blood elf standing on a crate " come children paint the orc, completely free!" A round of cheers went up and children rushed into a line their parents and adventurers gathering round and laughing. Sure this was humiliating for the moment but paint? Really? The orc chuckled and tried to roar to frighten the children but found all that came out was a kitten's meow, the elf turned and smiled. _Bitch. _" cat got your tongue? Don't worry I took the liberty of enchanting these paints to last an eternity so you can remember the humiliation you faced here today" she winked and walked off and he was swarmed with kids and colorful paint. He heard a whisper in his head "do not mess with a Dawnstrider" he looked for the source of the voice and his eyes met with a tall blood elf, jet black hair and a strong looking jaw. This was the only menacing elf he had ever met, and he passed out with prolonged eye contact with the male.

Kahtia practically floated back into the inn after her satisfying victory, but found a sullen Kerran sitting on a table by the fire, he looked up as she entered and whispered "Kahtia" she rushed forward and knelt by his side "my love, what's wrong" he gave her a stony look and gestured to a scroll on the table so she picked it up and read:

_" Sister Kahtia,_

_We need in danger. Come to explain._

_Love, Janco" _

" why didn't you tell me you had a sister?" Kerran looked hurt " we have been married three years and I've never met your family, I assumed it is because you didn't have one but now…why Kahtia? Am I not worthy" Kahtia winced _no, it's not like that _she swallowed and grabbed one of his hands in both of hers,

"My family have a rough history, and this is the first I've heard from my sisters since…"

"since what?"

"since my father fled, freeing us"

"freeing you?"

" my eight sisters and I-"

"eight?!"

Kahtia sighed "Kerran, I promise it's just we Dawnstriders-"

Kerran paled " Dawnstrider, why haven't you told me you were one of them?"

"Embarrassment, fear, wanting to outrun my past" Kahtia shrugged

Kerrans voiced soften " is everything true then? Your father, his ambition"

Kahtia nodded tearing up of course he knew about the Dawnstriders, everyone knew. Kerran embraced his wife, previous anger gone " shhhh, shhhh. Listen we can get Lydia to look after the inn while we go to Dalaran." Kahtia panicked _no, he can not come_

" no, Kerran you can't please, if they say it's trouble then it's something big. I don't want you to get hurt" she begged him with her eyes _please, please understand. _

" Kahtia, I love you and meeting your family is important and it's Dalaran, what could go wrong?"

"oh believe me, everything could go wrong. They would only contact me if it was bad"

"how come you don't contact each other"

Kahtia bit her lip "too painful I guess, when we're together it's a constant reminder. We didn't end on bad terms, just painful ones. Easier to pretend it didn't happen"

Kerran looked like he wanted to make an input but instead thought better of it he grabbed her hand and lead her into the study " come my love, we leave tomorrow we must tie up loose ends". For the first time Kahtia felt like the weight of the world wasn't hers to bear.


	5. coming together

Janco waited by the portal, pacing. Kahtia had sent word she was coming, and her husband would be accompanying her. Janco smiled _husband, _it was nice to hear her sister had found love. _I wish I had someone, someone who accepted me as unconditionally as well….I guess no one accepts me, because they do not know the things I have done, _she sighed, _betrayals, murders and assassinations. I've done it _all, for what? To build myself a following, perhaps for a name that strikes fear so that no one would dare_ think of hurting me again. I could leave it all, maybe once we kill father. I'll take Messi, look after her since all her wealth was confiscated and I am wealthier than a noble man. Maybe all my sisters will want to live close, they would never have to know what I've done, the person I can be. They'd say I took after father, that after experiencing fear first hand I should know better…but I didn't and if they ever found out they'd understand that…I hope. Besides it'll be me who gets everyone close enough to father, none of them have practiced the trade of stalking your prey then striking quickly and efficiently. They need the skills I have gathered over the years- _a bright light ended Janco's thought train as two figures appeared in front of her. Kahtia, Janco's breath caught as she wasted no time in embracing her sister. "So tell me, how have you been? Tell me everything especially how you met this fine male" she waggled her eyebrows at her sister making her laugh, "great I've been great. Since that uh-day I decided to learn more of the history behind my skills so I travelled to Pandaria, I met Kerran there in the Krasarang Wilds and we fell in love, we travelled together and eventually opened an inn in the jade forest called the three blossoms" Kahtia was beaming until she remembered why she was here and lowered her voice "Messi, where is she?" the air around the three sobered substantially and silently Janco grabbed her sisters hand and lead her to the citadel.

Kahtia handled the appearance of their younger sister badly ending in tears and her husband trying to calm her. "dear sister, we can help her, are you sure you have no idea where the others are?" Janco tried. " No, I figured we all have this silent pact, leave each other alone" and Janco alarmed everyone when she threw a chair at the wall " am I the only one who didn't get that memo? I searched for you all for a year and a half until I began my own life, I have one of the most superior intelligence system with my followers and yet not one of them could dig up a sliver of information about the whereabouts of you all, five months ago I had one piece of information Kahal might be in Stranglethorn and I spent four months there searching for her. Now I have three of you back and ones unstable, ones a death match fighter and the thirds fucking married. Now all of you better explain or I swear to the ancients so help me…!" the room was silent for a moment before Aryha spoke,

" you make it sound like you had nothing going for you, Janco, or should I say fleetfoot?"

Janco winced " who told you?"

" oh please, only one person can pull that off and it would have to have been one of us Dawnstriders, and to be honest you're the only one I know who can throw a butter knife and kill a man while he was swimming"

"you heard about that?"

" being a death match fighter you hear a lot about the underlords, so many people claimed to be you.I was dreading the day where you would walk into the arena to face me, but at the same time I was hoping I'd see you again." Her tone changed to a softer note "so don't worry, I didn't get the memo either".

"Nepharos really fucked us up didn't he" Kahtia laughed bitterly and the two sisters nodded as Kerran's hand found hers

"moving along" Janco hastily said " how will we find the others?"

"Janco" Messi whispered " I think father has being messing with your intelligence"

"what makes you say that" Janco cocked her head

"a feeling, makes sense though doesn't it?" Messi sighed

A sparrow flew into the room towards Janco with a message tied to the foot

_Stranglethorn, the hawks._

_" _question, the hawks are a group of outlaw bounty hunters right?"

"correct" Kahtia said

Janco almost smiled " I know where Kahal is, I'm so stupid, she is in Stranglethorn, just very used to not being found. I should of known"

"so you can find her?" Messi asked

"yes, I'm sure of it"

"can I come?" Messi asked, eyes hopeful and Janco was about to say no when Kahtia interrupted her

"she's old enough to make her own decisions, Messi can you honestly say you can handle the journey"

Messi's whole body seemed to have a rush of energy " YES! Nora had a shipment of medicine from Silvermoon, it helps barrier the mind from influences"

Kahtia, Aryha and Janco exchanged glances each nodding.

"We leave tomorrow" Kahtia confirmed then turned to her husband who put a finger on her lips

"shhh I'm coming" and Kahtia's shoulders sagged,_if he got hurt…_

"Aryha and I will file for Messi's release meet at the portals at dawn" Janco nodded then left the room, Aryha trailing behind her.


End file.
